SUMMARY:
Consistent with the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980, 5 U.S.C. 602, and OMB
guidance to the Department of State pursuant to Executive Order 12866, the Fall
2012 regulatory agenda of the Department of State is set forth below. The
purpose of this publication is to provide information to the public on the
Department's regulatory plans.

In order to fulfill its responsibilities under regulatory
executive orders, including Executive Orders 13563 and 13609, the Department
participates fully in the regulatory working group and the recently-implemented
process outlined in Executive Order 13609. Examples of two rules that implement
the principles outlined in Executive Order 13609 but predate Executive Order
13609 include:

RIN 1400-AC86, in
which the Department is amending rules relating to adoptions in countries party
to the Hague Convention on Protection of Children, and

RIN 1400-AD29,
which is a Department of State rule, intended to conform State's regulations to
those of the Department of Homeland Security; this U.S. Government initiative
might have fallen under international cooperative efforts, had the initiative
occurred after establishment of the Executive Order 13609 process.